Shadow and Smoke
by Bloodhallow
Summary: When Dan Metsler is attacked in his family barn by an insect-like beast, he learns of the existence of the elusive Shadowhunters and his ties to their kind. After he's taken to the New York City Institute, he soon learns of the dangers of protecting the mortal world, and just how powerful Downworlders can truly be.
1. Chapter 1

Dan sighed at his aunt.

"Oh come on, man. The barn isn't even that far," she gestured at him with a dirty dishrag, "and I really need that wrench." She wrung her hands in mock pleading and smiled at him. He stood from the table and put his plate in the sink, feeling her hand on his shoulder in an affectionate grip.

"Where is it?" He slid on his shoes and grabbed his jacket.

"It should be near the back, on one of the benches," she said, handing him a flashlight from the kitchen drawer.

"'Kay" He put it in his pocket where it would be easily accessible.

He stepped out the screen door, the thing creaking loudly as it fell shut behind him, when she added: "Oh, and try not to spook the cows. You know how nervous they are." He smiled to himself and gave her a thumbs up as he headed towards the dirt road leading to their small barn.

The moon was full tonight and he didn't even need the flashlight as he walked. He headed down the small hill from their yard, past his aunt's cars, and towards the tree line. The road was mostly gravel and ran downwards for the entire stretch. The sounds of his shoes on the rocks was the only noise in the night. Trees became much more abundant the farther he went, the path soon being lined by a steady wall of darkness. It was a five minute walk there and he was beginning to wish he had brought some music to listen to; he was starting to get uneasy in the silence. .

The trees were in thicker clusters here, and closer to the path, so the flashlight came into play finally. The dim beam didn't do much, but at least he could see well enough to not slip and break his neck. Overall, Dan wasn't much afraid of the dark, but it still made him uneasy depending on where he was. Currently, walking through a nearly pitch black forest on a loose gravel road towards a decrepit barn, he was pretty freaked out. He'd made plenty of trips down here at night, all of which went well, but that never made his nerves go away. You never knew what could be hiding in the darkness, especially in the trees.

A glint ahead of him caught his eye and he sped up, eager to reach the barn and then leave. The gravel faded to grass as he went up to the grey, chipping double doors, trying to make the least amount of noise possible so as to not frighten Mitsy and the other cows. He flipped up the lock and pulled on the door, having to tug harder in spots where it'd catch on the ground. The dark was oppressing and the smell was horrid. Yep, a barn.

The beam of light illuminated the old rafters and wooden walls, making it look like a scene straight from a murder movie. Hay littered the ground, muffling his footsteps and sticking to his shoes. He made his way past the stables, tiptoeing towards the row of work benches at the back. After searching through the clutter of nails, screws, and other oil coated objects, Dan finally found the wrench. It was only then that he realized how deathly quiet everything was.

He had been the only thing making noise since he'd come in, which was odd, even for the night. The cows should have at least given him an acknowledging moo. Setting the tool down, he turned the flashlight back to the stables, walking to check on the girls. His heart quickened with each step, thoughts of the worst possible scenarios intruding in his brain. Suddenly, he cried out, falling hard on the ground. The flashlight skittered across the floor.

Pain shot through his elbow as he started to raise himself up, trying to see what he had slipped on. Everything around him felt wet but it was too dark to tell exactly what it was. He stood, shaking out his arm, and picked up the flashlight, just as he heard the clicking. He shined the light towards the noise and froze; there was _something_ there.

It was grotesque with a dark, snake-like body that ended it a long, barbed tail. It's many legs clicked against the ground, each one at least as tall as Dan's chest. Giant pincers took up most of it's face, dripping dark liquid that sizzled against the hay. There was also the startling fact it was running straight at him.,

Coming back to his senses, Dan had no hesitation in throwing himself to the ground, leaping into the nearest stall. The thing didn't recover in time, hitting hard against the bench and scattering the contents around it's feet. Dan tried to push himself up, but his hands sunk into something wet and sickening. Through what little light the flashlight offered, he saw he was elbows-deep in cow organs. He screamed. .

He bolted away from ,what was, Mitsy and headed for the door, flashlight swinging madly in his hand. His breath came in sharp gasp and tears were blurring his vision, which nearly caused him to smash into one of the barn's support beams. The door was there, only a few feet away, but he never made it. A searing pain exploded along the backside of his right calf, causing him to fall, face-first, to the dirty ground. He spun in time to see the creature strike down above him, nearly piercing his chest as he rolled away. The dull metal of the flashlight vibrated as he brought it down on it's scaled head, sending a shock through his arm as it swung at his stomach, this time catching and slicing a thin line through his flesh.

Running was one of the hardest things he'd ever done, but adrenaline made it possible. He weaved between poles, searching for a way out but seeing nothing. Something shone out from the dark and he recognized it as a pitchfork, old and rusted, but still whole. Without thinking, he snatched it from the hay and turned, hoping against hope that it'd be enough. When the monster rushed him this time, he held out the tool and thrust blindly, feeling a connection.

The shrill screech that came was enough to make him want to curl up and sob. It was like a dying animal mixed with nails on a chalkboard and it caused Dan immense pain, but he held on, still pushing the pitchfork deeper and deeper. A flicker of hope entered his mind, _maybe the thing would die_ , but it was crushed as suddenly as it had come. The monster jerked sharply, sending Dan flying into one of the benches, and he heard the sound of snapping wood. The prongs were still lodged into it's head but the handle was laying on the ground in pieces. For a moment, the beast just stood there, shaking from side to side and screaming. _Please, please let it die_ , he thought, but his prayers soon disintegrated as it regained it's composure and rushed at him again.

Dan did the only thing he could think to do: climb. His leg throbbed in protest as he grabbed onto the wooden beam behind him and jumped, clutching his legs around it, the cut burning like fire. It vibrated as the monster crashed into it, still slightly disorientated by the metal in its face, as Dan continued to climb, grabbing whatever he could find as handholds. He reached out for the edge of the floor of the barn's loft, letting go with his legs and being suspended for a moment above ground, ten feet up. He hefted himself up and rolled onto the new floor, choking on sobs all the while.

Below, the monster was searching for him. He held his breath, trying to make no noise, hoping it would leave to go look outside. The pitchfork seemed to have taken away most of it's sight as it bumped into nearly everything in it's search. After a moment, it stopped and that speck of hope returned. It was making a sound, almost like it was sniffing the air trying to catch his scent. It turned, slowly, still smelling, until it pointed its head up towards the loft. Dan cursed in his head; he was covered in cow blood.

It started trying to climb the nearest pillar, but couldn't seem to get a hold of it. Dan pushed himself against the wall, tears streaming down his face, and waited. He couldn't think of any way out, nothing up here could be used as a weapon, and he was tired. Death didn't seem so bad in that moment. The monster was trying to climb the wall now, sliding it's skeletal legs into the holes that littered the wood and slowly rising up. Dan closed his eyes, wanting everything to be over.

There was a bright flash that lit up the backs of his eyes and the sounds in the barn changed; there was yelling.

He opened his eyes to the sight of white lights moving around the room. He heard voices, saw the monster had fallen from the wall and was screeching again. Whoever these people were, they were killing it. They were holding the lights, sending them down into it as it screamed louder than it had when Dan had stabbed it. Suddenly, the shrieks slowed then stopped, leaving only the breathing from the strangers and his own light sobs. He could vaguely see the faces of the four people there: they all looked young, maybe even his age. That was all he could make out before he toppled over the edge of the loft.


	2. Chapter 2

Aaron caught the boy before he hit the ground.

He laid him down on the hay-strewn floor and immediately began checking for wounds. A quick assessment showed an incision on the back of his leg and one long slash across his stomach, both bubbling with demon venom and small bits of puss. It was _bad._ Aaron looked up and saw the rest of the group gathering around him, each ready to spring into action at his immediate command.

"We need to get him to the Institute," he hefted the boy over his shoulder and started for the door, "Ava, you go ahead and get the truck ready. We gotta get there ASAP, he's not looking too good." Ava sprinted past him, keys tinkling as she ran. They'd parked at the top of the road, a good five minute walk. For a mundane. For a Speed-runed Shadowhunter is was more of a one minute sprint.

He took off at a run, Ian and Madeline following close behind. All three ran, gravel crunching under their boots, until they saw the truck up ahead, tail lights shining red along the rocks. Aaron lept over the tailgate and set the boy down, Ian and Madeline leaping in next to him. He started trying to subdue the damage the venom was causing as Ava floored the truck forward and pulled onto the main road.

"What are we gonna do," Madeline asked, popping open a toolbox near the front of the truck bed and pulling out two leaves of a medicinal plant. She set to work tearing them up, smearing the pieces together with some water and handing the gunk to him.

Aaron began rubbing the concoction on the boy's stomach, the worst of the two wounds. "We're going to take him to Clary and Jace. They should know what to do to help him." There was a sizzling sound coming from the cut now, a sign that it was working a little.

"How much can they do? They can't put runes on him, he's not one of us." She prepared more of the medicine and handed it to him.

"They might be able to find a warlock. Magnus or someone else." He put the plant on the leg wound. "They can just block his memories after that and send him on his way." Madeline didn't look too convinced, but didn't press the issue further.

Both cuts were covered now, each one seeping a dark green liquid that smelled like rot. Cars surrounded them as they pulled onto the highway, orange fluorescent lights passing by overhead. The truck gave a lurch, causing the boy's body to slide into the side of the bed. Ian grabbed him by the jacket and held him still. Aaron noticed the bulge in his pocket and realized it was his wallet. He slipped it out and read the name on the license.

"Okay," he squinted to make out the name in the sparse light, "it says his name is Dan Metsler. He's 17, an organ donor. Doesn't seem to be super photogenic." Ian giggled a bit but Madeline slapped Aaron's arm.

"Dude, that was rude. Don't make fun of him." She crossed her arms.

"I'm not ,it was just observation. Geez." He slid the wallet back into Dan's pocket and looked to see where they were. The traffic had dimmed, as had the lights, and they were on the road that led to the Institute. Ava's driving skills had always impressed Aaron; the whole trip had taken less than 10 minutes. He wondered what Clary and Jace would say when they took Dan to them. None of them had suspected anyone to be at the barn when they were sent out to dispose of the Ravener demon, but, of course, nothing could go to plan.

The dark spires of the Institute came into view as the glamor dissolved around it. Gleaming stained glass windows shone in the headlights of the truck and the grand wooden doors became washed in bright white. Ava parked the truck along the curb and jumped out while Aaron and the others leapt from the back, Dan back over his shoulder. They ran to the doors, Ian shoving both open enough for them all to fit through. There was a dull _thud_ in Aaron's arms as Dan's head smacked into the door frame.

"Jesus, Aaron, he's already hurt enough." Madeline shot him a sour look.

"I didn't do it on purpose!" she just rolled her eyes as they walked between rows of pews towards the elevator. They all crammed inside and Ava slid the cage door closed. Everything rattled as they descended.

They flung the door open when they reached the ground floor and ran through the hallway, squinting as there eyes adjusted to the light.

"Ian," Aaron nodded to him, "go see if you can find Clary and Jace." He nodded and took of down a hall to the right. The rest of the group hurried towards the infirmary.

He lay Dan on one of the white linen beds and opened his jacket to see the wound better. It oozed green and black, sizzling like Mentos in Coke. The plant paste had already been eaten through by the venom. It was getting worse. The group looked at each other, a tense air filling the room. There wasn't much else they could do without a professional healer, but there was no guarantee Dan would still be alive by the time one got there. Madeline handed Aaron the last bit of the medicine and he applied it as evenly as he could. Like last time, it got a little better but would soon be back to full force dissolving.

Ian ran in after a couple minutes of awkward medical silence, delivering the bad news through his panting breaths: "They're not here!"

"What," Aaron blurted, "where could they have gone off to? They've always been here when we get back from patrols." He ran his hand through his hair, messing up the dark blond mass. If Clary and Jace were gone, there really _wasn't_ anything else they could do. The group all looked at each other, each member knowing what the other was thinking. They'd just have to leave it up to fate.

They left the infirmary and started for the entry hall, where they'd wait for Clary and Jace, when Ian chimed up, "Hey, I..think I'll wait in here with him," he nodded towards Dan, "just to monitor him and stuff, ya know."

"There's not going to be much to monitor," Madeline crossed her arms, "but alright. Let us know if anything happens. Like him dying. That'd be good to know." Ian nodded and turned back to the room.

Aaron and the girls walked to the entry hall and sat along the wall. He hoped Clary and Jace would be back soon.


	3. Chapter 3

Dan's head throbbed as he slowly opened his eyes, shielding them from the light with the back of his hand. Every part of him spasmed in pain whenever he moved, the muscles clenching in unison. He looked down at his blood stained shirt and saw the gash from earlier was covered in some green mass that felt cool against his skin. There was blood everywhere.

He tried to speak but his voice came out muffled and hoarse. He managed to raise up a little and look around the room. The stone walls were lit by some light emanating from seemingly nowhere, illuminating the overload of white curtains and sheets that covered the dozen or so beds that filled the room. It also illuminated the black-haired boy staring right at him, smiling like a madman and bouncing up and down in excitement.

"Oh my god, oh my god it worked," the boy said excitedly, "my first healing rune worked," he thrust his hand up in triumph, "that'll show them!" Dan's head swam with even more questions now.

"Where the hell am I?" His head twanged in pain, but it seemed dulled.

"Oh, yeah," the boy rubbed the back of his head, "you're in the Institute. Well, I guess you don't know what that is, huh?" he dropped his arm back to his side and shrugged his shoulders, "Basically, you were attacked by a demon and we saved you," he smiled, "you're welcome."

Okay, this kid was definitely unhinged. "Yeah," Dan said slowly, skepticism dripping from his voice, "right. A demon, gotcha." He rubbed his eyes again. He knew he should be freaking out, waking up in a strange place with a strange nutjob kid talking about demons, but something in him made him feel too mellow to care. Still, he wanted to leave.

"Well," he slowly swung his legs over the bed, noting the giant rip in his pant leg, "thanks, I guess. But, I really should leave. Or wake up. Whichever happens first."

The kid giggled, "You're not dreaming, we really did save you. Well, I saved you the most," he pointed at Dan's chest and he looked down. A swirly, black tattoo now decorated his chest.

"What the hell, dude. Did you tattoo me in my sleep?!" He rubbed at the symbol but nothing changed.

"It's a rune. Shadowhunter's, which is what we are, use them to alter ourselves. That one heals. The others didn't want to try using one on you, 'cause it could've killed you," Dan shot him a worried look, "it didn't, though." the boy smiled, but Dan didn't feel reassured.

They both turned to look as they heard the door open and in came three teenagers: A dirty blond dude, a small, auburn-haired girl, and one mean looking brunette. The kid looked absolutely ecstatic as they came in.

"Guys, look, I fixed him!" He smiled, waiting for their praise. But it never came, the three of them looked almost furiously at the tattoo, rune, on Dan's chest.

"Ian," the boy said, controlled anger coating his words, "what do you think you're doing putting runes on Mundanes? They can't handle it, you know that!," he ran his hand through his hair, "Why would you do something so stupid?"

Ian looked crushed, "But look, he's not dead. That means he's not a mundane then!" He sounded hopeful.

"That's not the point, we didn't know if he was a mundane or not. You could have killed him, Ian. You could have been a murderer at 14, do you want that?" Ian hung his head and shook it.

"But this is what Jace did to Clary when he saved her!"

"It's not the same. You're not Jace!" Ian's face reddened and he looked close to tears.

They all stood around awkwardly for a bit before Dan spoke up, "Would anyone care to tell me what's going on? What's all this talk about demons and mundanes and death?" Whatever medicine they'd put him on was starting to fade and panic began to creep in.

Aaron looked at him, "We'll let Jace and Clary fill you in when they get back; they run this place." He shot another mean look at Ian before telling him to go wait for Clary and Jace to get back. Ian grudgingly obliged.

Dan still felt uneasy, but figured there wasn't much he could do to leave if they really wanted him to stay. The blades on their hips also helped persuade him not to try too hard. Aaron looked him over, "I have some clothes you can change in to," Dan looked down at his ripped and stained shirt and pants and nodded.

"Ava," he turned to the auburn-haired girl, "d'you think you could whip up something to eat for us all? Only if you feel up to it that is," she nodded and left without a word. He then turned to the other girl, "Madeline, could you set up a room for Dan. One closest to the exit, so he knows we're not trying to hold him captive," he smiled at Dan who awkwardly grinned back. She looked like she wanted to argue but left anyway.

Aaron led him out of the room and into the dimly lit hallway. They walked for a while, not saying anything because Dan couldn't think what to ask first. They eventually reached Aaron's room where he threw open his closet door and stood back for Dan to inspect, "Anything here catch your eye?" It was full of t-shirts and a mixture of different pants, nothing else except a set of leather clothing that Dan decided not to bring up. Dan grabbed a plain gray shirt and slim khakis while Aaron stepped outside so he could change. His body ached with every bend but soon he looked like a normal, non-demon-attacked guy again.

Aaron led him back through the halls to the kitchen, where Ava was stirring up some pasta with cheese. Dan sat at the table and thanked her as she slopped a spoonful onto his plate. Aaron plopped into the seat in front of him, "I texted the others. They should be on their way." He began shoveling macaroni into his mouth like it was his job. It was so intense that Dan felt he should say something, but he let him do his thing.

In a couple of minutes Madeline and Ian were seated at the table, Ian avoiding looking at anyone. Dan felt pretty bad for him; he'd saved someone and they were all treating him like he was caught stealing a car. They all sat around in silence until Aaron turned to Madeline, "Did you set up a room?"

She brushed her hair over her shoulder, "Yeah, the farthest one to the right," she wiped her hands on a napkin and sniffed, "I even made the bed," she said sarcastically. Aaron ignored her and shot her a "thank you" before returning to his inhalation of noodles. They ate in silence, Dan's head whirling with all that had happened and would happen when Clary and Jace returned.


End file.
